Kohala Lighthouse Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you. We’ve got a 16-day window on the table, but honestly, it’s a tough one for the North Kohala region. The big picture is a long stretch of cross-shore winds and less-than-ideal conditions, with a couple of late-period glimmers that might get your hopes up if you’re an experienced local.

The only spot on the radar is Kohala Lighthouse. This is an advanced reef break, and it’s consistent, but it’s exposed to the swell. The water temperature is sitting at 80°F, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first week is a write-off. From Monday, July 20th through to the end of July, we’ve got a constant stream of cross-shore winds, mostly from the ENE at 15 to 22 mph. The swell is on the small side, mostly around 5 ft to 7 ft, but the period is short, between 5 and 8 seconds. The combined swell energy is weak to moderate, with the highest reading around 537 on July 25th morning. But the wind is just ruining it. The wave comment is consistently “poor surf conditions.” It’s lumpy, cross-chop, and not worth paddling out for. Basically, this is a kite surfer’s setup, not a paddle surfer’s.

There’s a slight tease on the afternoon of Saturday, July 25th. The swell drops to 3 ft, but the period jumps to 17 seconds. That’s a very long period groundswell, and the energy jumps to 959. Still, the wind is a fresh cross-shore at 19 mph, so it’s still messy. For a reef like Kohala Lighthouse, a long period swell like that can be great, but only if it’s clean. It’s not.

The real standouts, if you can call them that, appear in the second week. On Sunday, July 26th, the swell builds to 6 ft to 6 ft from the E with a 16-second period. The combined energy hits 1841. That’s strong energy. But here’s the killer: the wind is cross-onshore. The wave comment is still “poor surf conditions.” It’s a shame, because the potential is there.

Finally, from Monday, July 27th to Wednesday, July 29th, we see the biggest swell of the outlook. Swell heights are 7 ft to 8 ft from the ENE and NE, with a period of 12 to 14 seconds. That’s solid, powerful groundswell. The energy readings are massive: 2142 on Monday morning, 2190 on Tuesday afternoon. This is expert-only territory, over 8 ft at times. But again, the wind is cross-onshore or cross-shore. The wave comments improve marginally to “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions.” It’s still not clean, but for a seasoned surfer who knows the reef, it might be the only window worth checking. The 8 ft on Wednesday morning with a 12-second period and cross-shore wind is the best of a bad bunch.

After that, from July 30th onwards, the swell drops off rapidly. By August 4th, we’re down to 2 ft with a 12-second period, and the energy is weak. The wind is still cross-shore. It’s a real downer.

So, the only true standout in this entire 16-day run is the period from Monday, July 27th to Wednesday, July 29th. The swell is big and powerful, but it’s not clean. If you’re an expert willing to deal with challenging conditions, that’s your window. For everyone else, it’s a long wait.

Rusty.

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